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Advanced Guitar Program:
Note: The minimum age requirement for students of this program is 16
years.
The Advanced Guitar Program has a main objective of supplying the musician with
the skills and creative confidence to work in a wide variety of playing
situations at a semi-professional level. An extensive coverage of Harmony and
Theory, Rhythm Guitar and Ear training, will allow the student to become fully
absorbed in the art. The program is taught in 3 stages each consisting of ten
study units. Each stage takes the musician through more and more complex
situations. The intermediate to advanced musician with a desire to improve
musicianship and playing skills will become well rounded in all important areas.
The in-depth curriculum combined with our successful and professional
environment is what makes this program so successful. All 3 stages must be taken
to complete the Advanced Guitar Program. A required number of live performance
credits are also necessary to receive a certificate of completion.
Stage One
Scales and Technique
A study of fingerboard geometry and control of scale patterns, arpeggios
and intervals. Major, Minor and Blues scale patterns are covered.
Fingerboard Harmony
A study of guitar chord voicings, their relation to familiar fingerboard
shapes and their practical use in progressions.
Music Reading One
Teaches recognition of notation symbols, rhythmic notation and develops
the ability to comprehend in phrases
Harmony & Theory One
Provides a firm understanding of scales, notation, chord construction,
and basic harmony.
Improvisation One
The techniques used in all styles of improvisation are covered.
Application of Stage One scales and arpeggios as well as various
approaches to soloing are studied
Stage Two
Scales and Technique Two
The Major Scale Modes and Harmonic Minor as well as Dom. 7, 1/2 Dim.,
Augmented and Dim. 7 arpeggios will be covered.
Fingerboard Harmony Two
Develops the chords from stage one and focuses on chart reading,
building feel and timing with standard rhythmic patterns, simple voice
leading and the study of modern progressions.
Music Reading Two
Stage two reading material adds more tonal range and notation symbols to
the information studied in stage one.
Harmony & Theory Two
Builds on the material from stage one by adding theories regarding modal
interchange, modulation and secondary dominants.
Improvisation Two
Continues the development of the many styles of improvisation used in
modern progressions. Applying the modes and playing over the chord
changes as well as focusing on stage two scales and arpeggios will be
studied.
Stage Three
Scales and Technique Three
The Melodic minor scale and its important modes along with diminished,
chromatic and whole tone scales are studied.
Rhythm Guitar
Focuses on advanced rhythmic patterns, application of chord voicings and
comping approaches. Styles, rhythm section arranging and performance
methods in Latin, BeBop, Funk, Rock and contemporary music.
Music Reading Three
Third stage adds more tonal range and notation symbols to the
information studied in music reading two.
Harmony & Theory Three
Covers arranging and composition, flat five substitution and the
application of all theory principles including composing and arranging
lead sheets.
Improvisation Three
Studies the approaches of contemporary styles with an emphasis on
polished melodic content in jazz improvisation. Course covers rapid
chord and key changes, scalar/chordal relationships and creative
phrasing techniques.
Ear Training
Recognize intervalic sounds and their relationship to the fingerboard.
Comprehend melodic, harmonic and rhythmic elements.